An object designed for smooth and efficient movement relative to a fluid medium such as air or water faces an obstacle called surface drag. As the object moves relative to the medium, its surface tends to tow along with in a sheath of air or water adjacent to the object's surface. This sheath, which envelopes the object's surface, tows along with it successive envelopes of air or water which ultimately create a near vacuum as the laminar flow of the medium leaves the object. This vacuum acts as a drag on the object's movement relative to the medium, tending to reduce the object's speed or decrease its drive capability.
Prior art attempts at solving this problem have all been confined to placing uniformly shaped, sized, and spaced surface deviations over the entire surface of an object that contacts the fluid medium. These attempts, however, have failed to consider the fact that fluid mediums often contact and flow from an object with a spiral or vortex like motion. In addition, placing surface deviations over the entire surface of an object can be costly, as well as time-consuming.